A Rockford police officer fired shots during a traffic stop Wednesday morning. Police Chief Dan O’Shea says the driver then died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to O’Shea during a roadside news conference, police pulled over a white pickup truck pulling a camper around 11:30 a.m. on the Route 20 bypass in Rockford. The officer was joined by an Illinois State Trooper. O’Shea says the suspect “produced a weapon” during the traffic stop, and the Rockford officer shot at the suspect, who was not hit. Police say the suspect then committed suicide by gunshot. The trooper did not fire shots. Both officers were taken to a local hospital per protocol. O'Shea says there was no one else in the pickup.
Police have not released any information about the suspect or officers, including gender. The Winnebago/Boone County Integrity Task Force has taken over the investigation.
Meanwhile, portions of the busy Route 20 bypass are closed while investigators survey the scene.
